A Gain of Trust
by SmilinForYa
Summary: Azula terrified you. She was the villain; the crazed girl that wanted nothing more than bloodshed and destruction. However, once you found yourself getting to gradually know her, you realized that you judged her wrong...very wrong.
1. Prologue

"Hey?"

"Is he alright?"

"I don't know. Who is he?"

"Hey. You. Are you…okay?"

Your eyes fluttered open. The sun was high in the sky, stretched above you with glittering arrays. For a moment, you struggled to see clearly; everything was so bright.

But then, once your eyes had adjusted, you noticed two heads hanging above you. They both had dark hair, but their expressions were unreadable.

"Huh?" You choked out, a little husky.

One male chuckled, and the other suppressed a laugh and leaned closer. "Are you okay? You've been lying there all day."

You sat up, feeling sand underneath you. The sound of waves crashing was to your left, and you turned to see the ocean. The only thing was that _it was cartoon_. Not human; but drawn. What the hell?

"What's your name?" The laughing male asked once he calmed down. You ripped your eyes from the ocean and noticed it was midday. The beach was full of people wearing mostly red. This looked oddly familiar to you.

To be honest, you didn't remember your name. So all you said was, "Where am I?"

They gave you strange looks. "Ember Island."

Ember Island?

_I remember that island! It's off of the avatar show! _

_Wait…_

"You're kidding," You said shakily, laughing nervously, "right?"

"No." They eyed you warily. "This…is Ember Island. I'd know; my dad owns it."

Eyes widening, you glanced around, feeling panic rise in your chest. How the heck were you on _Ember Island_, a place off of the show you watched? This had to be a dream. It couldn't be real.

…could it?

"Let's leave this guy," The one male who laughed earlier whispered, "he's obviously a nut case."

"Have you seen all the girls look at him?" The other guy whispered, a bit more subtle than the other. "I think he should come to the party."

"What? No way!"

"Let's just see who he is." While they were whispering, you zoned them out and looked over yourself. You were drawn, too, just like in the show! You were wearing the red tunic many of the guys wore on _The Beach_ with red shorts. Your skin was pale—though not as pale as Zuko's.

You sat up straighter, staring down at your hands. _What's going on? _

"Where are you from?" The serious guy asked, flipping his hair. He was obviously the arrogant one with the "cool" smile.

"Far," You murmured, "very far away."

He chuckled, and you knew it was fake. "You're funny. Want to hang out with us?"

"Not really." You admitted, standing up. To your right, girls were playing beach volleyball, and to your left, guys were sitting around, joking.

"He's kidding." The one who chuckled said. "Look—my name's Chan. This is Ruon Jian."

You ran a hand through your hair—it was soft to the touch. Some strands were in your eyes, and you shook your head to get them out so you could see a little better.

"Would you like to go to a party?" Chan was saying. "It's at my house."

You shot them a peeved look, the nerves getting the better of you. This was all too confusing, and too sudden…you didn't know what to think, or what to do. This _had_ to be a dream.

"Come on," Chan said, "let's scope the area. Check for any other people who should come."

Reluctantly, you followed behind them. The sand was soft and thin, and the air was cleaner than ever. Everything was so bizarre, so real.

_Just a dream…_

Chan and Ruon Jian scoped the areas, spotting girls that they approved of, and some guys that seemed "cool" enough to be at the party. Pretty soon, you finally grew acquainted with the bright sun and could think more clearly.

This couldn't be a dream. Either you would've woken up right now, or you wouldn't be able to _smell_ the fresh air, or _hear_ people around you. It wouldn't be possible. Though you've had many realistic dreams before, this was just too real.

It was then you heard the voice, the voice that confirmed your suspicions:

"Yes, we defeated you for all time! You will never rise from the ashes of your shame and humiliation!"

Your mouth dropped when you turned to look, along with Chan and Ruon Jian. That voice…could it _be_?

The Fire Nation Princess? An anime character that belonged in a fictional world?

_Azula_?

Your knees felt weak, and your mouth went dry as you stared at the fire nation princess that could make a grown man cry. There she was, turning back to her friends, smug and victorious as ever. A shiver went through your body—a shiver of fear. Cold, stinging fear. She looked like she had in the show—but from this distance, she actually looked "pretty". How could she not? She was attractice, if only her personality wasn't so deadly. She had pale skin with raven hair, and her body was _just right_, but her personality was _so wrong_.

You found the "gothic" couple; Mai and Zuko, hanging low. Mai looked more bored in person, and Zuko looked…angrier than he did in the show. Ty Lee was as happy as can be, and she obviously caught Chan's eye.

"Let's invite her," He whispered to you and Ruon Jian. "She's cute."

"I agree." Ruon Jian replied.

It was silent. You raised an eyebrow, and they were waiting for your opinion. Clearing your throat, you mumbled, "Same here." Ty Lee was undoubtedly cute—with her sweet smile and friendly charisma.

You walked behind Chan and Ruon Jian, with a heavy, nervous heart, to Azula and her friends.

"I'm having a party tonight." Chan said cooly. "You should come by."

Ty Lee grinned, and your chest felt a flush of warmth. She was prettier in person. "Sure! I love parties."

You shifted your feet, not knowing what to say. Ty Lee was right in front of you, and you were rendered speechless. She was in the show you watched often—avatar—and now you were seeing her _in person_. It was just too bizarre.

Her eyes caught yours, and you scratched the back of your neck, glancing the other way. You didn't really want to speak just yet; you didn't know what your reaction would be.

Ruon Jian noticed Mai and said, "Your friend can come, too." Mai didn't say anything. She was good-looking, but with an obsessive boyfriend nearby, you didn't even look at her. You didn't know if you wanted Zuko on your ass just yet.

You then felt Azula's presence nearby, and when you looked up, you were shocked to see her standing the closest to you, her hands on her pale hips. Of course she would have enough confidence to approach you to your _face_, and she looked at you and said, "What about me and my brother?" You glanced helplessly at Chan, who looked skeptical. "Aren't you going to invite us?" Everyone was silent, and the princess crossed her arms. "You don't know who we are, do we."

_No_, you thought nervously. _They don't, but I do. You're the fire nation princess. I need to get the hell out of here! She could burn me—literally! _

Chan replied arrogantly, "Don't you know who _we_ are? We're Chan and Ruon Jian, and this is—"

You didn't know what to say. Azula looked at you calmly, and you blurted the first word that came to mind, "Kuzon. My name is Kuzon." You nearly sighed in relief with your quick thinking. Kuzon was a safe name.

You swore Azula would look displeased; however, instead, a sly grin took place. A calculating, interested grin. You watched this closely while Chan told her the details, and her golden, dangerous, feral eyes flickered to you—and you couldn't find the power to look away.

Smugly, Azula said, "We'll do our best."

* * *

><p>Yay! I've been waiting to do this, and I finally got it started! If you people haven't noticed, I have a story called "Messing With Heat" about the POV is in "your" POV. This one is, too, but unlike "Messing With Heat", this is in a guy's POV. This is just the prologue, so it's gonna be short! Please let me know what you think! I'm actually liking it so far. I plan to do this with a lot of the characters.<p>

:)SmilinForYa(:


	2. I know who you are

Chan's house was huge, and fancy. Just like in the show. You looked around as the two males talked about something about a girl, and reality hit you.

You were in the avatar world.

"Kuzon." Chan was saying. Who was Kuzon? Oh wait! That was _you_. Of course it wasn't your real name, but you almost blew your cover by not responding. "Kuzon?"

"Yeah?" You perked up, trying to look at ease when you really had a massive headache and you were panicking on the inside.

"Remember—my dad's an admiral. If anything in here breaks," Chan said solemnly, "he'll butcher me."

You nodded in understanding. The two boys sat down on the sofa, bringing up the girl again. You zoned them out as you wandered down a hallway. Your headache was _pounding_ now; and it was getting hard to even think.

_How am I here, in the avatar world? This isn't possible! It's just a cartoon/anime—nothing more. I have to be dreaming. This can't be real. It can't. _

You felt your cheeks. They felt narrow, and your hands went down to your neck. You looked on the wall, noting that you were average height. You were a little taller than Chan but shorter than Ruon Jian.

_They have to have a mirror in here. _You wondered, looking into a room. It was dark, and there was a plain dresser and a bed; nothing more. You went to the next room, finding it the same. Where was the bathroom? _Did they even have bathrooms in the show? They never really explained. _

You were starting to breathe heavier, and your heart rate increased. Sweat was forming on your forehead as you frantically searched the hallway for a mirror; even a bathroom would suffice.

"Kuzon?" Chan's voice made you accidentally knee the wall. You heard them run to you, and tried to hide your discomfort with a sheepish smile. Chan raised an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"I, uh," You rubbed the back of your neck awkwardly, "need to use the bathroom."

_Shit. I hope I didn't say the wrong thing. _

"We have one out the back door." Chan said, giving you a passive look. "Need me to show you?"

"No, no," You waved your hands, smiling wide, "no need for that. I'll find my own way." You hurried off through the door, sighing in relief when you closed it behind you. You were met with the clean, fresh air again, and the sky was decorated with an array of dark oranges and yellows. Sunset.

You found a tiny building a few feet from the door, and guessed it was the bathroom. So in this world, they had separate buildings for bathrooms. Or it could be just because you were in a cabin instead of a house.

You closed the door, finding no light. There were no light switches like in your world—they didn't have electricity. But you did find a little chain to your right, and you pressed down on it. A candle was lit, you didn't know how it was, but you went along with it. The candle didn't provide much light, but you didn't need much to use the bathroom.

You wondered if they had sinks, or any way to wash your hands. All you found was a large bucket of water, which had a tube leading over a basin. You supposed that was like a sink; just without the electricity. You pressed on a knob, and water rushed through. You soaked your hands, and rubbed your face and neck, feeling your headache gradually fade away. It was getting easier to think again.

_Okay,_ You thought to yourself, closing your eyes. You leaned against the wall. _Wake up. Wake up. _

You opened your eyes, but found that you were still in the bathroom. You cursed, and closed your eyes again, concentrating. _I'm asleep. I'm asleep. This is not possible. Not…possible. _

After awhile of nothing happening, your hope was lost. You really were in the avatar world—and there was obviously no going back. You got off from the wall, and noticed something move on the wall. Was that your imagination? It looked like a…hand?

_What the hell?_

Was there someone in the bathroom with you? The entire time?

Of course, your mind instantly screamed _AZULA!_, but you moved closer, and noticed it was your own arm. A mirror.

Calming down, you approached the mirror. The lights were dim, so it was kind of hard to see, but you could make out your figure. You had pale skin, and you moved really close to see you had golden eyes. _So I'm fire nation? _

Your hair was shaggy—like Zuko's, but it wasn't _as_ shaggy. Less messy, not as long. You shook your head, your strands moving along with your head movement. When you stopped, they all fell back into place. It was kind of cool. You grinned back at yourself, noting that you had a sick smile (sick in a good way). Your facial features weren't that clear in the lighting, but you could tell you had narrow features and strong planes. You actually weren't bad-looking. Wow. And not once zit was on your face.

_Hm, maybe this isn't so bad_? You wondered with another grin. Your golden eyes were striking in the darkness. _Am I the villain in the show? Who the hell am I? _

And why did the name Kuzon sound so familiar?

Chan met you right when you left the bathroom. He looked a little peeved. "Hey. You know the people we met at the volleyball net? You know—the ones who set it on fire?" You nodded. "Well they're kind of weird. They're already here!"

"They are?"

"Yeah." Chan rolled his eyes. "They're lucky they have two cute girls. If they didn't, I would've kicked them out. There are also a few more people here."

_Azula's here. _

"I'm going to use the bathroom. Go try to entertain them or something." Chan mumbled bitterly, closing the door behind him. You walked into the beach house, seeing Ty Lee shockingly surrounded by five guys. Ruon Jian was combing his hair in a mirror hanging on the wall, and you felt yourself frown. _They had a mirror right there the entire time? Why didn't I see that? _

You walked past three guys who were talking about Ty Lee.

"So how do you know Ty Lee?"

"I met her on the beach today. She was pretty impressed by a sand pagoda I made for her."

"Well, I met her first!"

You watched in amusement as Ty Lee tried calming all the boys down. You were actually tempted to go over there and try to catch some of her attention, but that would be hard with all the guys surrounding her. You'd have to wait until she was alone.

She knocked them all over, literally, and made her way to Azula. You tried getting to her, but she already reached Azula by the time you were halfway. You casually turned the other way, wondering what kind of drinks they had here.

You didn't really get involved with anybody. This was still, after all, a little shocking. So many questions. How did you get here? Why were you here? Who were you? Who is Kuzon? All these questions, of course, were left unanswered.

You leaned against the wall, outside of the crowd of people. You couldn't help but watch Ty Lee and Azula talk. For once, Azula looked sad and a little self-conscious. You smiled a little. She wasn't as great as she thinks she is. Yes she can kick ass, and yes she's pretty intelligent, but her social skills plain out sucked. It was about time she realized that. You knew how she would later try and flirt with Chan or Ruon Jian, and she'd only get hurt. _She deserves it. _Azula was crazy and evil—she deserved everything she got. Right?

You glanced over at the gothic couple—Zuko and Mai, sitting on the couch. Zuko looked pissed off, watching every single guy that walked by, and Mai looked flat out bored. You knew she didn't even want to be here. Did _you_ even want to be here?

Sighing, you walked out on the balcony. You didn't know Ty Lee noticed, and quickly found Azula. But once you leaned against the railing, and heard Azula say, "Hello, Kuzon, is it?" your senses went on a frenzy. You immediately sat up straighter, your heart rate picked up, and you tried not to look as scared as you really felt.

Instead, you grinned. "What's your name?"

"Doesn't really matter." Azula said nonchalantly, leaning against the railing next to you. You tried to think of a quick excuse, but Azula said, "Do you live here?"

"No." You said quietly, trying not to make eye contact.

"Oh? Where do you live? The capital?" You felt her eyes on you, and it felt like her eyes were a shotgun—like someone was pointing a rifle at you. Your life was on the line.

You swallowed, trying to control your breathing. Instead, you forced yourself to shoot Azula a smile and replied, "Doesn't really matter."

Azula's eyes flickered. "Your arms," She lightly touched your arm and you _almost_ flinched away, but didn't, "look so strong."

_Does she really mean that? Of course not. Another mind game. _

"Thanks." You grumbled, looking away. You unconsciously moved your arm away, crossing them over your chest. You looked out over the ocean, and _still_ felt her eyes gazing at you.

Wait. Does she seem…nervous?

You glanced at her out of the corner of your eye. Her eyes were a soft, brilliant golden color, and with her hair actually down, it made her look…feminine.

_Holy shit! Am I really checking out Azula? _

"Do you," You said suddenly, sitting up, "want a…drink or something?" _Pretty lame, but it's something. _

Azula smiled. It wasn't a smirk; it was a _smile_. "I'd like that."

"Okay." You didn't waste time to get the hell away from her. It was too confusing; too nerve wrecking. In the show, Azula was normally all professional and deadly. She never showed off her feminine looks—but here, wearing an outfit like _that_, it kind of showed you another side.

You nearly ran back inside.

* * *

><p>Hands trembling, you dropped the first cup to get Azula's drink. You scrambled for another, and Chan was by your side.<p>

"Hey man," He whispered so nobody could hear, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing." You said quickly, taking a deep breath as you tried to calm down. _How the hell can I calm down? I have to go back to AZULA! It's a death sentence! _

"It's an expression." Chan said with a "duh" expression. "When girls say 'get me a drink' that's just an expression. You don't _really_ have to do it." He patted you on the back and took the cup away from you. "Don't worry about it. Go talk to someone."

He pushed you, and you stumbled forward, crashing into someone. You quickly muttered an apology, but when you looked up to see a pissed off Mai, your heart rate picked up even more.

_Shit! _

She just glared at you. That was it. She whirled around and walked away, her expression going blank, as usual. You sighed in relief. You thought for sure she was going use her notorious knives at you.

_I am such a wreck. _

You managed to calm down after _you_ had a drink. Then, remembering that Zuko and his group destroyed the party later on, you decided to leave. You went off to where the ocean was, and sat on a rock, enjoying the night air. It was nice to be out here. You could actually think.

But your thoughts weren't pleasant.

_How did I get here? How do I get back? Will I ever be able to get back? Am I trapped here? Who am I? _

You sighed deeply, running a hand through your hair that wasn't technically wasn't even yours. Who the hell _were_ you?

"Hello," Azula's voice tore you from your thoughts, "Kuzon."

She was standing off to your right. Apparently she had the same idea of leaving the party right after you. Underneath her gaze, you straightened up and tried to look casual.

It was so weird. By the tone of her voice, she sounded…embarrassed? Something along those lines.

"Hi." You greeted with a formal nod.

She observed you from afar. It was obvious she thought you didn't notice since it was dark, but her eyes were almost _glowing _in the darkness. _Like an evil dragon or something. _

"That was a lame party." You said, feeling yourself relax despite her fixed gaze.

"Yes." She said. "Very lame." She came from the shadows and sat next to you on the rock. You couldn't help but stare at her. The way the moonlight set on her skin made her look ethereal. Beautiful. That is, if you didn't know who she really was. It was a shame she wasn't an evil, cruel, heartless—

"The moon," Azula's voice was gentle. Soft. You've never heard her voice like that before. Normally her voice was controlling; commanding. It was actually…nice. "It's beautiful." She stared over at you, waiting for a reply.

You swallowed. "Yes." You couldn't help—couldn't _stop_ yourself from gazing at her pointedly, "It sure is."

Her eyes widened slightly—so slightly that you would have missed the look of surprise and flattery if not for your close proximity. But she was flattered from your compliment, so flattered that she was rendered speechless.

Your heart was beating, not from fear; but from something else. Azula didn't look like the scary monster you saw in the show—she looked like…

You touched her cheek, cupping it. By now you saw that her pale cheeks were slightly pink from blushing. She looked eager for more attention from you, but all you did was look into her eyes, admiring her beauty underneath the moonlight above.

"Tell me your name." You whispered softly.

She withdrew a little, but not much. "That's not important."

You drew your hand back and stood up. It took some nerve to say—especially to the royal princess, but you managed to say, "I need to go."

You didn't see her, but she said nothing. With that, confused as ever, you walked away, wondering how you just _flirted _with the fire lord's daughter. The worst part?

You knew it all.

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry for the long wait. I'll have the next chapter as soon as possible. Thank you all so very much for all the lovely reviews!

:)SmilinForYa(:


	3. Legend

Azula and everyone crashed the party. You knew it was coming, but as you stood outside on the porch, watching it all from a distance, you couldn't help but smile. It was quite comical. Back where you came from, teenagers had huge parties. They never really had any importance, except people gained social skills and made friends, found dates. This reminded you of where you came from, just a tad bit different.

Your eyes wandered to the floor. Your world…were you ever going to return?

You also didn't know why you chose the name "Kuzon". The name just blurted out of you, as if on instinct. You vaguely remembered Aang mentioning his fire nation friend named Kuzon, but that was it. The kid even used the name when he went to school in the fire nation.

_But who exactly was Kuzon?_

"Let's go." Azula's voice was close. Startled, you took off running down the porch—but not on time. "Kuzon?"

_Damn. She saw me._

Despite what had happened earlier, you remembered just who Azula was. Earlier, she looked like a teenage girl. Pretty even. But you knew fully well what she was capable was. She was sadistic and cruel. You could _not_ associate with her. In fact, it would be wise to avoid her at all costs.

Literally.

"I'm getting out of here." You said casually, keeping your back on here. "This party is pretty much lame as it is. Nothing else to do here."

"Would you like to come with us?" Ty Lee's friendly voice came, and you instantly turned around and saw her smile down at you. Gosh. She _was_ prettier in person.

Azula noticed your dumbfounded look and stepped in. "Yes, Kuzon. We were going to have a bonfire and…"

"Hang out." Ty Lee finished for her. Azula obviously didn't know the "terms" teenagers used when she herself was a teenager. Oh the irony.

"Yes." Azula sounded more sure. "Hang out."

"I really should be going—"

"—just for a little while." Azula's voice turned from nice to firm. You recognized that tone. She would press you until you gave in.

"Fine. Sure." You agreed reluctantly. They walked past you, Zuko giving you a brief glance with his arm draped around Mai's waist, and you followed behind. You made a point not to stare at Mai, knowing that Zuko was in one of those "moods" even though you knew they had their little bonfire where they let out their emotions.

"Where are you from, Kuzon?" Ty Lee asked you, slowing down to walk beside you. You couldn't help but feel your heart beat increase.

"The Fire Nation."

"Which part?"

"Uh, the capital."

"Oh! I used to be in a traveling circus until I joined Azula's team to hunt the avatar." You mentally cringed at Ty Lee's enthusiasm, even when she was talking about hunting a 12 year-old kid.

You all arrived at the campsite in seconds. Mai and Zuko sat together on one boulder, Azula and Ty Lee sat on the other one, and you sat by yourself on the third one. The fire was still going, though it was much weaker. Azula effortlessly added some fire to it, feeding the hungry flames. In seconds, it was big and alive again.

"How long are you staying in Ember Island?" Zuko spoke to you for the first time. You felt like you had a huge spot light set on you underneath the prince's heavy gaze. You weren't normally this afraid of people; but knowing how terribly strong these people were made it very intimidating to you. Heck, you didn't even know if you could defend yourself against them. Even if you could, you'd lose to Azula, all bets off.

"When I want to leave." You replied under your breath.

"We have to stay for three more days." Mai said emotionlessly, staring at her nails. She was pretty, in a strange way. She was a girl meant for a guy like Zuko.

"So have you guys ever heard the legend of Kuzon?" Ty Lee asked in excitement. Mai rolled her eyes and Azula sighed.

"You're not talking about me, are you?" You slipped a joke, causing Ty Lee to smile at you.

"No. Long ago, in Avatar Aang's time, Kuzon was his friend. Kuzon's ancestors were very close to the royal people, since his father was an admiral or something. Anyway, when his parents heard that their son was friends with the avatar, they forbade him from ever seeing the avatar. Kuzon was crushed, since the avatar was his best friend."

She stopped for a few seconds until Mai asked out of impatience, "And? What happens in the end?"

"Oh! I think the legend says something about Kuzon talking to some dragons and he disappears. His family was crushed and they even built a little moral in their home for him. Something along those lines."

"You have extraordinary story-telling skills." Mai said sarcastically. Ty Lee's face dropped and you felt bad for her.

"I thought it was pretty good." You said with a shrug. Something was wrong. Your stomach suddenly hurt. The story…it had some kind of effect on you. You didn't know how—it just did.

_Almost…like it was familiar…_

It might have been since it was the Kuzon Aang knew. It was the name you chose. That was all. Nothing more.

You stayed with Azula and her friends until you physically felt tired. Repressing a yawn, you told them it was your time to leave, and you walked off. Since you had nowhere else to go, you decided to head back to Chan's place.

Ruon Jian was asleep on the couch, drooling. Chan was freaking out over his wrecked house, and at the moment was trying to pick up the pieces of a broken vase.

"Kuzon!" He noticed you, his face hysterical. "I'm going to be killed! My father's going to hit the roof when he sees this place."

"Calm down." You said calmly, yawning. "When is he getting here"

"In four days."

"Okay—so no problem. All we have to do is clean this place up and find someone to fix the vases."

Chan shot you a look. "You can't just fix vases. They're glass."

You shrugged. "Then buy new ones."

Chan considered that and then perked up. "Hey! That's a great idea! I'll just buy him new ones and he'll be too grateful that he won't notice them."

You had no idea how or why you were so calm in a situation like this, it just came to you. But all you knew was that you were tired.

"Hey can I stay the night here?" You asked Chan, glancing at Ruon Jian, who was snoring loudly. Who knew pretty boy was a snorer?

"Sure thing. You could stay here with us as long as you want." Chan told you earnestly. "You saved my butt, man."

"It's no problem." You went up the stairs to one of the guest bedrooms and peered inside. The first room was perfect. However, you opened the window to let the fresh air in. Satisfied, you laid on the bed, staring out the window. The moon was overlooking the ocean water. The fresh air felt so good breezing in.

Yawning, you turned onto your stomach and fell asleep.

* * *

><p><em>"Hey Aang! Let's ride a dragon."<em>

_"What? We can't just ride a dragon." Aang was surprised and astonished._

_"Sure we can. I got us some cool maps—check 'em out!" Kuzon thrusted them out at Aang proudly. Aang looked over the map, his eyes wide._

_"Are you sure about this, Kuzon?"_

_"I'm positive! Besides, what could happen?"_

_The two boys searched three mountaintops until they came upon a nest. They knew they were near the nest when they saw a green dragon soar in the sky above them. They made sure to crouch down so the dragon could not see them. Kuzon looked over his shoulder to see a man running from the dragon. They continued climbing up the fourth mountain, their hopes high._

_Aang looked as excited as Kuzon. Aang knew his fire nation friend was full of ideas and adventures—but searching for a dragon could be both dangerous and stupid. Kuzon reminded Aang of his other friend, Bumi, but Kuzon wasn't as "crazy". Kuzon was just very audacious._

_However, they soon learned that the man was a decoy for the poacher's at the net. Aang was furious at the pasters, and Kuzon felt the fury, too. Even he would never steal eggs from a mother dragon. It was cruel and foolish._

_But even they knew that they were no match for the poachers. So, taking a slower approach, Kuzon and Aang developed a plan._

_"Let's use our bending," Kuzon told Aang, "in another way."_

_"I have an idea!" Aang said, glancing at the poacher's. Time was ticking. "Let's make it seem like the mother came back."_

_"Oh! I get you!" Kuzon's features fell though when he realized something. "But my fire bending isn't great enough to make it believable to the men."_

_He wasn't arrogant. He knew he was still learning. But Aang laid a hand on his friend's shoulder and told him, "I have an idea."_

_The two ended up using Aang's airbending to make Kuzon's flame enormous, making the poacher's run for their lives. They left behind the eggs, left and forgotten as they ran down the mountain, their screams echoing throughout the area._

_Aang went to take down an egg from the poacher's mount just in time as the mother dragon returned._

_Kuzon gasped, catching Aang's attention. His eyes turned fearful, taking in the huge, green mother dragon who was obviously furious._

_Kuzon was quick to act._

_"Hey you big chicken lizard!" Kuzon shouted, letting out a fire flame. The mother dragon turned her attention to the young fire nation boy who was shouting and fire bending. She had began to come after Kuzon, but accidentally knocked Aang down with her tail. Aang momentarily dropped the egg, but he barely caught it before it smashed to the ground._

_The mother dragon instantly turned friendly. She realized that the two young boys were not there to harm her eggs; they had chased off the poacher's. She even let Aang and Kuzon touch her skin. It was very rare—practically a once in a lifetime chance for a dragon to allow a human to touch them._

_"Hey," Kuzon got a sudden idea, "so uh maybe as a reward, could you give us a ride? You know…just a couple of laps around the mountain?" Aang shot Kuzon a look but Kuzon ignored him and went on, "That would be hot! Flamin' hot!"_

_Of course, the mother dragon responded with a ferocious growl as a "no"._

* * *

><p>You woke up, Aang's laugh from your dream echoing in your head. The dream was so real, like some kind of memory. That scene was never showed in the shows—you've never even <em>seen<em> it before.

You felt warm air coming into the room. Throwing off the blankets, you trudged into the hallway. Chan was already back to cleaning the house, and was currently sweeping the floor. You paused to look at the shocking image before you: Chan, the popular guy on the beach, cleaning.

How degrading.

_That's what he gets for trying to seem better than everyone_, you thought to yourself, but knew Chan let you stay the night. He wasn't all that bad, just stuck up a bit. _He was raised that way. Like Azula._

You shivered when you thought of the fire nation princess. She still terrified you.

"Hey," You greeted Chan briefly, "I'm going for a walk."

"Cool." Chan replied stiffly, probably embarrassed you were witnessing this.

The sky was cloudless and there were already people out enjoying the beach. You walked along the water, letting the water rush through your toes. The water itself wasn't cold; it was nice and cool. Of course, you dodged an incoming beach ball. Some children went racing into the water.

_This place is full of fire nation_, you realized, looking around. The color red was everywhere—literally. These were the bad people. Those little kids that were like any other ones had parents that wanted to take over.

Needless to say, those thoughts dampened your mood.

"Chan, what a surprise to see you here." Azula's voice broke through the sound of the waves. You stopped dead in your tracks, seeing Azula lying out next to your foot. She looked at perfect ease, though she had a cool composed face.

"Hey," You greeted her simply. Your face had drained from all color at the sight of the princess. _I need to get away before—_

"You do realize you're wearing the same clothes as yesterday?" Azula asked, gazing over you. Her eyes seemed to notice every little detail.

"I…just woke up." You explained, turning towards the water. "Actually—I was going to go for a swim." Without thinking, you took off your shirt, tossing it onto the sand. Now shirtless, you walked into the water, glad to get away from the princess.

You had no idea she would follow you.

"I had the same idea." She said right behind you. You turned around, wide-eyed, to see her golden eyes right in front of you. You couldn't help it, she startled you. Who knew she was so quiet?

Gasping, you flailed your arms and fell into the water on your butt. To heighten your dismay, Azula began laughing. It wasn't her sadistic, evil laugh; it was that laugh Ty Lee tried teaching her about.

It made you relax. She thought you were a normal citizen—like her. You were on her good side.

Right?

"How's the water?" Azula asked, her hands on her hips as she stared down at you.

You shrugged. "It's nice."

"I don't swim often."

"Why not?" _Because you're the fire lord's daughter?_

"I have a busy schedule." Azula mumbled. She began walking further into the water as you stood up, your body now dripping wet. You noticed that Azula glanced at you in a shy manner. Her eyes were on your chest. Confused, you looked down to see that you were toned.

Whoa.

Azula thought you were…_good-looking?_

That's not something you see often.

"So Kuzon," She said, "what do you do for…fun?"

You didn't know what to say. The things you did in your world didn't exactly retain to this one. _Think Kuzon—think!_

"Nothing special really." You finally answered her, sounding casual. "You?"

"Same here." Azula replied fervently.

You dove into the water, getting your head under, and surfaced right in front of Azula. Of course it was on accident, but you got a little thrill when you saw the look of true surprise in her eyes. She didn't flinch away, but you caught the surprise in her eyes. Normally she was so good at composing herself. You saw it in person.

"Well are you swimming," You asked, once again without thinking, "or are you just gonna stand there?" You stopped yourself, looking away. Why in the world would you speak to her like that? She could burn you!

You heard a few splashes and when you turned around, Azula had her body in the water. Her hair was still in a high ponytail, with her bangs handing to the sides. She looked smug.

"Do you have a partnership, Kuzon?"

"A…partnership?"

Azula's cheeks reddened and she looked away. "Um…you know…a relationship?"

You stared at her. Yeah, she probably didn't even know what to call that.

"No." You told her. "I'm not dating anyone."

"Dating…" She murmured in deep thought. Maybe it was time she realized how much she was missing out on—the usual teenage stuff. It was all part of growing up, and she was obviously growing up too fast.

"I say we both try out this "dating" thing." Azula suggested lightly, turning to observe your reaction.

You kept your face composed and said gently, "I don't know." _How would you turn her down?_

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you about to say no?"

You replied quickly, "No. I was thinking of a way to say yes." You smiled sheepishly, your entire body shaking under the water. _Idiot! You were stupid to about to turn Azula down!_

You were trapped.

"Good." Azula sounded smug again. "Let's meet here around dusk." She stood out of the water, tossing her hair over her shoulder to smile down at you. "Of course, if that's alright with you?"

"Sure. It's fine." Right when she walked away, you stared down at the water and grimaced.

You were going on a date with Azula.

Azula.

_Azula_.

_It's official. I'm dead. _

* * *

><p>AN: Okay so I am super sorry about taking so long to update. I've been so preoccupied with other stories and life to realize how long it's been since this story has been updated. I'm still loving this story, but I have other ones too. However, I shall spend much more time with this.

I want to thank kiDLatZ for reminding me of my long delay. Thank you, girl! You guys should thank her, too. Without her, I would've taken longer to update x)

Anyway, I shall update ASAP from now on. Thank you all for the wonderful reviews :3


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